Hickory Dickory Dock Lyrics

First appearing in print in England around 1744, this short rhyme about a mouse racing up and down a clock has stayed in steady rotation in nurseries for nearly three centuries. It suits toddlers and preschoolers, roughly ages 2-6, whose attention is well matched to its brief, punchy storyline and satisfying "the clock struck one" payoff. Because the rhyme centers on a clock striking the hour, it offers a playful, low-stakes entry point to the concept of time and counting, and early-childhood educators often use short rhymes like this one to introduce number and sequence awareness well before children can read an actual clock. Its quick tempo and tidy rhyme scheme also make it one of the easier rhymes for a toddler to memorize start to finish, giving early confidence with verbal recall. Nearly 300 years after it was first recorded, its combination of a vivid image, a scurrying mouse, and a simple rhyme keeps it firmly in the nursery-rhyme canon. For more on how rhymes like this build early number sense, see this look at nursery rhymes that secretly teach math.

Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory dickory dock!

Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck two,
The mouse said "Boo!"
Hickory dickory dock!

Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck three,
The mouse said "Whee!"
Hickory dickory dock!